Muslim Women Holding Leadership Positions in a Company

Monday, 08 June 2009 01:10
Mufti Siraj Desai

Q: Can Muslim women hold leadership positions in a Muslim company?

A: It is permissible for women to hold positions of leadership in a company on condition that such a function does not lead her to discarding the laws of hijaab and pardah. This means that she cannot interact directly with men, she cannot sit in on meetings in the same room, nor can she move around in male circles, as normally executives do. If the above occurs then she will be compelled to withdraw from the position she holds. It will then be no longer permissible for her to retain such a post. The rules of hijaab are compulsory, as mentioned in the Holy Quran and Hadith. It is a maxim in Islamic Law that any action that leads to the abandonment of an Islamic injunction will be considered unlawful.